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Cereplast improves algae bioplastics process

Sept. 30, 2013, Seymour, IN - Cereplast Inc. (CERP), a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, compostable and sustainable bioplastics, is advancing in the research and development stage in preparation to bring to the market a more sustainable and cost efficient process for the development of algae bioplastic resins.

By using an algae biomass selection process in which food-based materials are not fed to the algae for growth, the food chain is not impacted, increasing sustainability. The material is also expected to lower costs in algae bioplastics development by deploying post-industrial processes, enabling the re-use of materials.

Algaeplast, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cereplast, develops algae-based bioplastics, leveraging post-industrial processes such as nutrient recovery from effluent waste streams and from carbon dioxide sequestration systems. As the algae biomass derived from these processes have already served a primary purpose, the secondary use of the material results in cost savings and increased efficiency due to material re-usage. In addition, Algaeplast does not use algae fed with food-based materials for growth and is the only company utilizing this criterion for the production of algae bioplastics.

"In a world in which the population is growing at a fast pace and demand for food and feedstock are on the rise, the use of feedstock for non-food purposes is often debated," said Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast. "A typical biofuel company will use a fermentation process that grows algae fast and with a high lipid content, but uses sugar as the carbon source. Cereplast's future family of bioplastics will leverage an algae source rich in ingredients suitable for plastic development, but also has no effect on the food chain, resulting in a sustainable and population conscious plastic alternative."

Algaeplast has four demonstration grades of algae in polypropylene with an algae biomass content from 15 to 51 per cent. A newly commercialized grade includes algae in a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). These grades show the ability for Algaeplast to formulate with algae biomass in TPE, polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Ethylene Acrylate (EA), and other polymers. The ability to make algae biomass compatible in polymers has been practiced by Cereplast for several years.

Algaeplast has several development programs in process for customer specific applications. The materials are expected to become available in the second half of 2016.

For more information on Cereplast, please visit www.cereplast.com.

September 30, 2013  By Cereplast